Polyester Textile Waste From a Manufacturing Plant
A paint roller manufacturing plant in Wisconsin was looking for a new partner to match their mixed polyester waste that was a by-product of their manufacturing process. The company had post industrial polyester textile waste in bales weighing 600 pounds each and the bales consisted of loose multi-colored polyester fiber combined with small amounts of fabric waste that contained a PVA coating. The company was generating approximately 40 bales per week. RecycleMatch matched the manufacturing waste with a company that produces environmentally friendly materials that are used in the automotive and construction industries. This match provided a positive environmental and financial impact for both companies by minimizing the waste going to a landfill. 

Glass Windows from a Building Upgrade
An Energy company underwent a retrofit of their high-rise headquarters in downtown Houston. They had 1000 exterior glass windows that were not acceptable to their existing recycling partner. The company contacted RecycleMatch to find an alternative to landfill for the 180,000 lbs of materials. RecycleMatch created a match and sold the materials to a company that processed the glass to make countertops and tile. RecycleMatch also found a solution for a smaller volume of interior glass that a local artist will re-use for paintings and furniture. By matching materials needs with supply from this building transformation, RecycleMatch was successful in adding value for all parties.

  Vinyl Billboards Become Shopping Bags
Well, the names have been hidden to protect the advertisers, but one company was able to keep a lot of vinyl out of the landfill by using RecycleMatch. One of our highly creative customers makes shopping bags out of used vinyl. They came to us looking for sources of vinyl, and we were able to hook them up with suppliers who could get the materials they needed. Best thing is, now our co-founder Brooke has some upcycled bags to take to the grocery store and farmers market!

        Chemicals as an Input for Biofuels A company in California had Sodium Methylate chemicals that could no longer be used in their manufacturing process. They were concerned about the costs and the environment impact of disposing of the chemicals in a landfill. With a few clicks, this company unleashed the powerful RecycleMatch network to sell these chemicals in just a few days - avoiding the costs of disposal in a landfill as well as finding an environmentally responsible reuse of the materials to make clean energy.

     Glass to Art
A company remodeling an office space had 40 very large, thick glass panes and doors. These large glass windows were still a relatively small load for most recycling companies. And it was a shame to see them crushed. But an artist who uses glass as his canvas used the RecycleMatch system to find these panels and turn them into beautiful works of art. His specialty isn’t recycled art. It was just an added benefit that he was able to upcycle this material and significantly reduce his costs. That’s a beautiful match in our book!

       Foam Packaging Reuse
A manufacturing company receiving materials for their assembly process was sending 40 plastic foam sheets a day from their inbound supply chain partner to the landfill. Within a few days of posting to the RecycleMatch marketplace, they were able to find to local companies that were able to reuse the packing materials - diverting the closed cell foam sheets from the landfill and helping to acheive thier sustainability and zero waste goals.

  Wood for Good
Urban Harvest, a urban farm project in Houston, had a mud problem. With volunteer gardeners and curious shoppers, it was a little more than most city-folk could handle. They had a plan to make walk-ways, a deck for seminars and dinners, and other improvements. But, they would need some materials that weren’t in the budget. They posted a deal on RecycleMatch, alerting the world that there was a need for wood for decking. Within weeks, several construction contractors had identified wood decking that was about to go to waste. Instead of demolishing the materials, they deconstructed them and delivered them to the farm. A charitable donation for the contractors, and a huge relief for the muddy volunteers.

The Following Eco Case Studies Inspired the Creation of RecycleMatch!

IBM and the Solar Energy Industry

In 2006, IBM developed a unique, eco-friendly way to recycle scrap silicon "wafers" -- the base material used for chips in everything from computers to consumer electronics. The process had dual advantages for the environment, since it helps reduce the estimated 3 million silicon wafers discarded each year across the computer industry, while also providing new supplies of raw materials to the supply-constrained solar energy industry. The program also resulted in reduced spending on monitor wafers and increased efficiency in IBM’s wafer reclaim program. For the IBM manufacturing site in Burlington Vermont, the annual savings in 2006 were more than half-a-million dollars. The projected ongoing annual savings for 2007 was nearly $1.5 million and the one-time savings for reclaiming stockpiled wafers is estimated to be more than $1.5 million. 

Ford Motor Company Matching Design and Innovative Materials

The 2010 Ford Flex will include the auto industry's first use of wheat straw, a waste by-product of wheat production.Wheat straw will make up 20 percent of the vehicle's two third-row storage bins, lowering the bins' weight by 10 percent, reducing Ford Motor Company's petroleum use by 20,000 pounds a year and lowering its carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 pounds a year. Ford and its suppliers have been working with farmers in Ontario for the wheat straw they need. Within Ontario, there are 28,000 wheat farmers that have 30 million metric tons of wheat straw waste available at any given time.

Wheat straw adds to Ford's growing list of bio-based and alternative materials it has added to Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, including soy-based seat and back foam cushioning, 100 percent recycled-content seat fabric, recycled-plastic underbody systems, seat fabric made from recycled plastic bottles and soy-based interior roof covers.